Steelmaking plant



July 16, 1957 J. HBENREICH ETAL STEELMAKING PLANT Filed Feb. 15, 1954 INVENToRs @-H` ZJ 612,166? ciu mmejz ofen l), f

firm United States Patent STEELMAKIN G PLANTV Josef Hbenreiclr and (ltmar Kamerhofer, Leoben, Austria, assignors to Oesterreichisch-Alpine Montangesellschaft, Vienna, Austria Application February y15, 1954, Serial No. 410,249 4 Claims. (Cl. 26o-13) The invention relates to steelmaking plant `essentially characterizedY by the combination of the following features: it comprises a hall construction, known per se, of uniform'cross-section throughout its length and including .a continuous charging hall and a continuous pouring hall .with craney tracks suitably extending throughout the hall length, and between the charging' and pouring halls a .continuous hall for the melting units also with continuous `crane tracks; the crane tracks of the hall for the' melting `units, hearth furnaces, converters, pigiron mixers, and the like, are arranged on another level than the crane tracks ofthe charging and pouring halls; the hall for the melting units accommodates converters, particularly bilaterally tiltable converters for refining with gases supplied to the bath from` above, and/or hearth furnaces (open-hearth yfurnaces and/ or electric furnaces) and, if desired, pig-iron mixers; the ilues of any converters are arranged to extend l between the crane tracks arranged on different levels. Preferably the arrangement is such that the crane tracks of the crane in the hall for the meltingA units are spaced above those crane tracks of the charging and pouring halls which face the middle of the hall cross section. Flues of larger size, suc-h as must be'provided, e. g., where dust removing plants are to bey incorporated, can be arranged to extend between the two crane ftracks if the latter are spaced appropriately. Within the'combination of the invention it appears readily possible. to arrange the other accessories of a dust removing plant simply above the crane track of the charging or pouring plant.

Hall constructions. in which crane tracks are arranged ;on different levels are Vknown per se 7for other purposes. In steelmaking plants, however, an arrangement with the v hall forthe melting units between the charging and pour- -ing halls, in which arrangement just the crane tracks of -the hall for-themelting sets extend on another level than the crane tracks of the charging and pouring halls, offers special advantages. and converters 'were-accommodated in separate halls of different construction, the invention enables a unitary hall construction for accommodating as desired open-hearth furnaces or converters or both in aV mixed arrangement,

or also different types of electric furnaces etc. Spenhearth furnacesy were arranged always between the charging and pouring `halls whereas converters were located at the edge of the hall to accommodate at the hall wall the -flues required for exhausting the gases from blowing. The ymeasure of spacing in the charging and pouring hallsthe lisreiined by a gas or oxygen blast directedV on the bath from above because such blast process requires smaller Whereas previously hearth furnaces "ice ue cross sections. Preferably the space between the crane tracks of the charging and pouring halls is bridged .by a crane running above said two crane tracks on tracks on a higher level and the converter ue is arranged to extend at a angle between the crane track of the charging or pouring hall and the elevated crane track of said intermediate crane.

Thus hearth furnaces and/or converters etc. may be arranged as required and hearth furnaces may be replaced even subsequently by converters, and vice versa, as required, without any change of the hall. Generally all melting units, such as open-hearth furnaces, converters, electric furnaces, pig-iron mixers, low-shaft furnaces etc. can be exchanged for each other at any time without affecting the hall construction. Combined with the possibility of extendingat one end or the other such hall construction which is of uniform cross section throughout its length, the invention thus renders a steelmaking plant highly adaptable to'the requirements prevailing at any time. v Hall constructions are known in which there is arranged between'the charging and pouring halls a hall for the melting units, covered by a travelling crane. In those known constructions, however, the cranes of the .charging and pouring halls and of the hall for the melting units move on the same level so that no converter flues can be arranged to extend upwardly from the hall containing the melting units. For this reason such halls have ,been suggestedfonly for accommodating open-hearth furnaces but are unsuitable for accommodating converters so that they lack the essential feature of the invention that the melting units can be replaced to render the hall usable for all purposes.

The invention further affords the advantage that the auxiliary machinery can be utilized to a high degree. The cranes of the charging and pouring halls now can serve the converters as well as the hearth furnaces and any pig-iron mixers provided in the same hall construction. If the rail tracks for the charging machines are arranged to extend throughout the hall length utilized for the hearth furnaces and Vconverters and the converters .are arranged on such a level that the mouths of the converters when tilted into charging position are on the level 'of thek charging openings of the hearth furnaces, then these charging machines may be used also for charging the converters This advantage is operative particularly in conjunction with converters in which pig-iron is refined by a gasy blast directed against the bath surface from above because such converters are charged with much more scrap than is used in the conventional basic or acid Bes- .serner process. With such blast processes the amount of scrap charged is about l2-30%, including scrap for cooling.l

The crane installation arranged above the hall accommodating the melting units, between the cranes of the charging and pouring halls, is particularly advantageous in operation because it can operate independently of and without interference by the cranes of the charging and pouring halls. For repairs that crane may be used without obstructing the' operation of the crane in the charging or pouring hall. For this reason that auxiliary crane installation can also charge the converters with scrap for cooling and add lime and feed the flux to the hearth furnaces whileV the cranes in the charging and pouring `halls are working without obstruction. When that auxiliary crane installation is arranged on a higher level than the cranes in the charging and-pouring halls, it may feed the ilux to bins above the hearth furnaces, to which it can be fed from said bins in a controlled manner by way of chutes.

. Convertersin which oxygen or oxygen-containing gases are supplied to Athe bath Afrom above, e. g. by blowing agas jet against the bath surface, may be tilted towards both sides because the Atuyere bottom hasA been eliminated.

Hence they may be tilted towards the charging hall for being charged and towards the pouring hall for pouring. Thus it is possible to charge open-hearth furnaces, electric furnaces and converters from the charging hall while the pouring operation may be restricted `tothe pouring hall. In operation this has the greatV advantage of a directed flow without mutual interference of the cranes. Now the chargingand pouring operations can be performed in strict separation from each other in the'respective halls. In the arrangement according to the invention it is of advantage to use converters of that type in which during tilting the axis of the converter is displaced horizontally at right angles to its direction so that the converter mouth extends in position for charging into the range of the crane of the charging hall and in pouring position is moved into the range of the crane of the pouring hall.

The arrangement of the pig-iron mixers within the same hall construction as the converters or hearth furnaces charged from them affords the advantage that the melt is less cooled on transfer so that the formation of skulls in the transfer ladle is avoided. The advantages of the short transfer path for the melt and the avoidance of skulls in the transfer ladle are effective particularly in the duplex process, in which the melt can be transferred now in the same hall construction from the converters to the hearth furnace. According to the invention it is possible, therefore, to arrange converters and hearth furnaces in alternation in such a manner that hearth furnaces have arranged between them converters whose total capacity corresponds to the capacity of the hearth furnaces; thus the transfer path from the converters to the open-hearth furnaces is minimized.

The possibility of arranging the crane tracks of the charging and pouring halls throughout the hall length offers in addition to the better utilization of the cranes the advantage that reloading or transfer of the crane load on railed vehicles is avoided, whereby working time and labor are saved.

In the drawing the invention is represented diagrammatically with reference to an illustrative embodiment.

Fig. l shows a hall construction, in plan,

Fig. 2 a cross-sectional view taken on line II--IL Fig. 3 a cross-sectional view taken on line III-III, and

Fig. 4 a cross-sectional view taken on line IV-IV of Fig. l.

In the manner known per se the hall construction consists of a trussed roof 2 resting on uprights 1. In accordance with its functions the hall construction is divided into a charging hall 3, a pouring hall 4, and a hall 5 for the melting units arranged between the charging and pouring halls. Crane tracks 6, 7, which delirnit the charging hall 3, and crane tracks 8, 9, which delirnit the pouring hall 4, are arranged to extend throughout the length of the hall construction. The crane tracks 6, 7 of the charging plant may carry several pig-iron cranes 10, 11, 12, if desired of different carrying capacities. On the other hand, the crane tracks 8, 9 of the pouring hall 4 may carry e. g. a heavy ingot crane 13, a light pouring crane 14 and a heavy pouring crane 15, which may be used selectively as desired. The distance between the crane tracks 7, 8 is bridged by an auxiliary crane 18 on tracks 16, 17, which covers the intermediate hall 5 for the melting units throughout its length and serves for charging scrap for cooling and lime, for feeding the flux to the open-hearth furnaces, and as an assembly crane. Those tracks 16, 17 might be supported on the furnace structures, in the manner known. However, to retain the free exchangeability of the melting units, the crane tracks 16, 17 are carried by supports 33 on the supports for the crane tracks 7, 8.

That hall construction is suitable for accommodating different types of melting units. It can accommodate selectively hearth furnaces, converters and, if desired, pig-iron mixers. In the embodiment shown two pig-iron mixers 19, three converters 20 and three open-hearth furnaces 21 are aligned in hall 5. In longer halls converters and open-hearth furnaces may be arranged also on the left of the pig-iron mixers. Similarly, dierent types of electric furnaces, not shown in the drawing, may be accommodated in the hall 5.

The converters 20 are arranged for refining pig iron by a gas or oxygen jet directed onto the bath surface from abo-ve. 22 is the blast tube, whichby a rod 23 is introduced into the converter mouth at the beginning of the blast process and is pulled after the blast process has been finished. Such converters have the advantage of requiring a flue of smaller cross section than the usual converters having a tuyere bottom. These converters may be tilted to the left for charging and to the right for pouring. The flues 24 are arranged to extend upwardly at an angle between the crane track 8 and the crane track 17 so as not to restrict the range covered by the respective cranes. Owing to the higher level of the crane tracks 16, 17 compared with the crane tracks 6, 7, 8 and 9, thicker u'e structures may be arranged to extend between the crane tracks and the converters 20 may be replaced by converters having a tuyere bottom.

The tracks 25 for the charging machines 26, extend throughout the region of the converters and open-hearth furnaces. The converters 20 are on such a level that when in charging position their mouth is in the range of the charging machines 26. Hence the charging machines may be used for the converters as well as for the open-hearth furnaces. A pig-iron track 27 from the mixers extends along the edge of hall 3, whereas a pigiron track 23 leads to the pig-iron mixers 19. A track 29 serves for removing the slag from the mixers. The remaining space may be utilized for various other purposes.

For simplicity the drawing shows only three converters 20 and three open-hearth furnaces 21. Generally, however, a larger number of melting units will be used. Since the end walls of the hall construction are not carrying structures, the hall may be extended at both ends 30 or 31 as required for operation without disturbing the unitary character of the steelmaking plant. For instance, office premises 32 may be arranged on a higher level at the end 30 with a view over the entire hall.

What we claim is:

l. In a steel making plant, melting units, a charging hall, a pouring hall and a hall for the said melting units between the said charging hall and pouring hall, the said three halls being combined to form a common hall construction and extending parallel to each other over the whole length of the said common hall construction, the said common hall construction having the same crosssection for its entire length, cranes in each of the said three halls and crane tracks for the said cranes apportioned to each of the said three halls, said tracks extending in the longitudinal direction of the said halls, the said crane tracks apportioned to the said hall for the melting units being disposed at a higher level vertically above the adjoining crane tracks apportioned to the said charging hall and pouring hall, and a free space between the said tracks which are disposed one above the other, bilaterally tiltable converters in the said hall for the melting units, the said converters being tiltable towards the said charging hall and towards the said pouring hall, and ues for the said converters conducted obliquely through the space between one of the upper crane tracks apportioned to the said hall for the melting units and one of the lower crane tracks apportioned to the said charging hall and pouring hall.

2. In a steelmaking plant as claimed in claim l, means for blowing oxidizing gases from above against the iron bath surface in the said converters.

3. In a steelmaking plant as claimed in claim l, mouths at the said bilaterally tiltable converters and hearth furnaces having charging openings accommodated in the said hall for the melting units, the said converters being arranged ori such a level that when tilted towards the said charging hall into charging position the said converter mouths lie at the same level as the Said charging openings of the hearth furnaces, rail tracks in the said charging hall over the Whole length of the said hall construction, and charging machines running on said rail tracks for charging the said hearth furnaces as well as the converters.

4. In a steelmaking plant as claimed in claim 3, pigiron mixers having charging openings accommodated in the said hall for the melting units as well as the said hearth furnaces and converters, the said charging openings of the said pig-iron mixers being arranged on the same level as the charging openings of the said hearth furnaces.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Re. 16,685 McGregor July 19, 1927 84,335 Absterdam Nov. 24, 1868 933,596 Stock Sept. 7, 1909 1,035,280 Walker Aug. 13, 1912 1,309,162 'Walker July 8, 1919 1,318,164 McConnell Oct. 7, 1919 FOREIGN PATENTS 21,066 Great Britain 1913 140,050 Great Britain Nov. 11, 1920 OTHER REFERENCES The Manufacture ofv Iron and Steel, by G. Reginald Bashforth, vol. 2, Steel Production, published by Chapman & Hall Ltd., London (pages 67-70 relied on). 

1. IN A STEEL MAKING PLANT, MELTING UNITS, A CHARGINGG HALL, A POURING HALL AND A HALL FOR THE SAID MELTING UNITS BETWEEN THE SAID CHARGING HALL AND POURING HALL, THE SAIDD THREE HALLS BEING COMBINED TO FORM A COMMON HALL CONSTRUCTION AND EXTENDING PARALLEL TO EACH OTHER OVER THE WHOLE LENGHT OF THE SAID COMMON HALL CONSTRUCTION, THE SAID COMMON HALL CONSTRUCTION HAVING THE SAME CROSSSECTION FOR ITS ENTIRE LENGTH, CRANES IN EACH OF THE SAID THREE HALLS AND CRANE TRACKS FOR THE SAID CRANES APPORTIONED TO EACH OF THE SAID THREE HALLS, SAID TRACKS EXTENDING IN THE LONGITUDINAL DIRECTION OF THE SAID HALLS, THE SAID CRANE TRACKS APPORTIONED TO THE SAID HALL FOR THE MELTING UNITS BEING DISPOSED AT A HIGHER LEVEL VERTICALLY ABOVE THE ADJOINING CRANE TRACKS APPORTIONED TO THE SAID CHANGING HALL AND POURING HALL, AND A FREE SPACE BETWEEN THE SAID TRACKS WHICH ARE DISPOSED ONE ABOVE THE OTHER, BILATERALLY TILTABLE CONVERTERS IN THE SAID HALL FOR THE MELTING UNITS, THE SAID CONVERTERS BEING TILTABLE TOWARDS THE SAID CHARGING HALL AND TOWARDS THE SAID POURING HALL, AND FLUES FOR THE SAID CONVERTERS CONDUCTED OBLIQUELY THROUGH THE SPACE BETWEEN ONE OF THE UPPER CRANE, TRACKS APPORTIONED TO THE SAID HALL FOR THE MELTING UNITS AND ONE OF THE LOWER CRANE TRACKS APPORTIONED TO THE SAID CHARGING HALL AND POURING HALL. 